Oscar voting pool grows

Academy adds makeup branch

The Oscar voting pool has inched up, to 5,830 -- 32 more than last year's tally.

Making its debut is the makeup branch, bringing the annual membership tally to 16 voting categories. The 115 members of that branch (which includes hairdressers) were previously grouped into the members-at-large category. It's the first new branch since documentary was added in January 2001.

The actors branch, as always, reps the biggest single faction, with 21.4% of the voting. Runner-up is art directors, with 6.5%.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences' count includes retired members for each branch. These people are still members and can come to Acad events (like screenings), but have no voting privileges. "Retired" is a voluntary status for those who feel, for whatever reason, that it's inappropriate for them to participate in voting. The "associates" branch also includes non-voters. These are people who are affiliated with the industry but are not considered directly responsible in the production of film, such as agents.

Members-at-large vote only in the best pic category during the nomination process. Otherwise, nominations in the various categories are made by members in each branch (directors vote for directors, editors for editors, etc.).

Ballots went out Dec. 26 and are due at PricewaterhouseCoopers headquarters at 5 p.m. PST on Jan. 13.